Saskatchewan Guidelines For Use Of Native Plants In Roadside ...

Saskatchewan Guidelines For Use Of Native Plants In Roadside Revegetation
Field Guide
- Trucks and trailers to transport seed and equipment
- Tractor to pull aforementioned implements
- Water truck
- Sprayer if herbicide application needed
IV. Post Planting Management
1. Weed Control
Watch the site for a flush of annual weeds. If they appear to be a problem, they can be
mowed, or cut, baled and hauled off-site. Ideally, continue to watch and treat weed
flushes for three years to keep any unwanted species from becoming established. Initial
weed flushes in the first few years are normal and should subside once the native stand
thickens (1 to 2 years). However, if perennial weeds are found, these species need to be
treated aggressively in order to prevent their establishment. Once they have invaded an
area, they are very hard to eradicate. Treat these areas by spot-spraying with appropriate
herbicides, or mechanically/manually weed them. Grassy noxious weeds cannot be
sprayed, as the herbicide will kill the native grass that has just been seeded; other
methods must be implemented in this case, such as mechanical or manual control.
Similarly, if there are native forbs in the revegetation, these will be killed by broad-leaf
herbicides. Consider any possible negative interactions when deciding to spray.
2. Watering
To increase the chance of germination and establishment, regular watering of the area is
always beneficial and essential during long hot and dry periods. A light application of
water every few days for the first 2-4 weeks will suffice. Do not incorporate fertilizer
into the seed mix or onto the site after seeding. Native plants have adapted to growing
without these inputs; an application of fertilizer will only benefit any weeds that are
present. By not applying fertilizer, these weeds may be nutrient stressed, hindering their
competition against the native plants.
3. Seedling Establishment Survey
Approximately 2-4 weeks after seeding, revisit the site and perform a seedling count.
Randomly choose a few areas in the revegetation site and delineate 1x1 meter square on
the ground in each area and count the number of seedlings within each square. Take the
average number of seedlings for each square and use the following chart to help
determine the establishment success.
Table 1 – Establishment chart for newly-seeded areas. Establishment surveys should be done
every time the site is visited for the first year or two, so that establishment can be monitored and
any seedling die-off can be detected. Once good establishment has been achieved, these
surveys are no longer necessary. Adapted from “Revegetating with Native Grasses”, Ducks
Unlimited Canada.
Average
Result
Seedlings/m 2
< 11 Re-seed
11-32 Wait until next year and re-evaluate establishment